The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence has filed a lawsuit on behalf of two wounded police officers against a Milwaukee-area gun dealer it labels as "the No. 1 seller of crime guns" in the nation.

The suit was filed on behalf of Milwaukee police officers Bryan Norberg and Graham Kunisch, who were shot and seriously injured with a gun sold by Badger Guns of West Milwaukee, Wisc.

The complaint, filed in Circuit Court of Milwaukee County, alleges that Badger Guns sold the gun used to shoot the officers in an illegal "straw sale," reports WSAW.

A straw sale, as defined under the Protection of Lawful Commerce and Arms Act (PLCAA), is when a person eligible to purchase a gun knowingly buys it for someone who is not eligible.

Chris Conte, the National Rifle Association's legislative counsel, told POLICE Magazine the Brady Center is "using the officers as a front" by filing the suit.

"They have to prove the person selling the gun knew they were willingly trying to turn over a gun to a criminal enterprise," Conte said. "What they are doing is gaming the system to try to bankrupt the Federal Firearms License holder."

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) has not filed criminal charges against the gun dealer, according to Conte.

According to the complaint, Officers Norberg and Kunisch were shot with a Taurus PT140 Pro .40-caliber handgun sold by Badger Guns in a "patently illegal transaction."

The complaint details that in May 2009, Julius C. Burton, 18, who could not legally buy a gun, picked out the handgun he wanted to buy while in the store with Jacob D. Collins, who then purchased the gun for Burton.

The teen shot the officers at point-blank range in the face, after they stopped him for riding his bike on a sidewalk in violation of a city ordinance. The officers returned to duty in late Septemeber, reports WTMJ.com.

This is the second case filed by the Brady Center this year against Badger Guns on behalf of officers. On Oct. 28, the gun-control advocacy group sued the dealer on behalf of wounded Milwaukee Police officers Alejandro Arce and Jose Lopez III.

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Comments (9)

Displaying 1 - 9 of 9

SenseiDave @ 12/7/2010 6:22 PM

How dare these anti Constitution Brady bunch scumbags exploit the murder of our brothers to attempt to advance their cause. Shame on them! They could not care less about police officer's safety. At the very least their members are dangerously misguided.

gp cobb @ 12/7/2010 6:26 PM

What does the officers dept have to say on the issue? Were they killed injured???

slobull @ 12/7/2010 11:27 PM

The Brady Center is just a wet diaper group and just a bunch of cry babies. Drop a bunch of them out in the country side of Afghanistan to tell the Tally Lickers about bad guns. Retired LEO

Morning Eagle @ 12/8/2010 1:35 AM

I must agree with the NRA legal counsel that the Brady Center is using what happened to these officers as a front to try to further their well-known anti-gun agenda. The Brady Center has long been infamous for twisting facts and they have not changed. They could not care less about the officers being shot. All they have ever been interested in is doing as much damage to the firearms industry as possible and they are not particular how they go about it. It is also significant that the ATF has not filed any charges against the dealer because they never miss an opportunity to file charges on the slightest provocation or technicality and make the dealers prove their innocence or lose their license. As bad as it is that the officers got shot, the gun dealer did not do it. The gun didn’t do it by itself either but was operated by some sub-human scumbag.

acb777 @ 12/8/2010 2:39 AM

Using the same perverted logic; your assigned to a traffice detail and get hit and injured by a MV. The person driving the car is a juvenile. So, that means by Brady's "perverted logic" one has cause to sue the DEALER that sold the car. The Judge assigned this case should rule for a summary judgement for the defendent and throw this BS case out right from the get go. And NOT waste the TAX PAYERS money.

3572 @ 12/8/2010 8:30 AM

Enforce the laws on the books. The criminals don't respect any laws. Only law abiding people care and they should be able to protect their family and themselves. The police will respond but will it be in time. Hammer the straw purchaser and the criminal that gets the firearm. The Brady organization is filled with zealots, bad on any issue.

c1ogden @ 12/8/2010 5:23 PM

A bunch of subversive leftist scumbags trying to undermine our country? This isn't even news anymore! Just when we thought they couldn't stoop any lower, there they go proving us wrong again! These are the same lowlifes who will fight for the "rights" of the cop killers!

Dan the Man @ 12/9/2010 10:35 AM

Wake up Brothers !This illustrates "HOW LOW" these "anti-gunners" will go to:1st - Disarm the American People, then;2nd- Disarm Law Enforcement using their totalitarian logic thatweapons are no longer needed.We are in the midst of a critical shortage of police personnel which will eventually lead to increased response times to "crimes in progress." These "gun control kooks" want to take away the right of the LAW ABIDING AMERICANS (including our own families) to defend themselves.Many state prisons are dumping thousands of felons on to public streets and they are driving and shopping,walking right next our families and loved ones. This is caused, in part, to the fact that many state governments are misspending tax revenues on welfare related programs including free medical care and education for illegals as opposed to cutting these "give away" programs in order to protect our families by keep these maggots incarcerated? We need to mobilize as Americans and start voting these politicians that are not doing their job, OUT OF OFFICE!Peace............

tyciol @ 12/12/2010 9:54 PM

I don't understand a law suit, if they illegally sold a gun they should be criminally charged. If they sold it legally, why should they be held accountable?

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